(Millie was the big, beautiful cat who lived at the Burien Wild Birds Unlimited store for many years. She was very observant and wrote a monthly column to pass on to readers what she saw and heard while supposedly sleeping.)

Hello again! Please read on to find out what I’ve overheard, seen, learned or wondered about here at the Wild Birds Unlimited store.
I’ve mentioned before that my people leave the radio on for me when they’re not in the store. I love listening to the relaxing music, but I also enjoy learning interesting things on KPLU’s BirdNote.
Recently I learned about small diving ducks called Buffleheads. Buffleheads return from the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska every year to spend the winter in our waters. They have many nicknames including little black-and-white duck, bumblebee duck, buffalo-headed duck, butterball, and spirit duck. They nest almost exclusively in holes excavated by Northern Flickers and occasionally in a hole made by Pileated Woodpeckers. Unlike most ducks, Buffleheads are mostly monogamous, remaining with the same mate for several years.
I also learned that the eyes of the Bald Eagle are among the most sensitive of any animal and may weigh more than the eagle’s brain! The secret to its exceptional vision is in the retina, which may have five times the density of rods and cones compared to the human eye. An eagle can spot the slightest movement of a rabbit from over a mile away!
Speaking of eyes, did you know that many birds sleep with one eye open so that predators cannot approach without being detected?
One of the store’s customers who lives in Des Moines near the waters of the beautiful Puget Sound was chatting about an albino Hummingbird that visited her yard for a month during the summer. One of my people went online to find out about albino hummingbirds and, sure enough, they have been seen! Unfortunately, although she tried, the customer was not able to get a picture of the little while jewel.
And now it’s time for this month’s collective nouns that describe groups if birds: A RAFFLE of turkeys, a FLING of sandpipers, a SCOLD of jays, a LUTE of mallards and a KETTLE of hawks.
Finally, if an average man had a metabolism comparable to that of a hummingbird, he would need to eat 285 pounds of hamburger every day to maintain his weight! 
Until next time,

Millie, the Muse of Mews